In this video tutorial, we’ll show you our tips and tricks for creating your own DIY chalkboard in any color.

Step 1) Shake and stir your paint

Choose any color from our line and make sure you shake and stir your jar before painting so all the ingredients are well mixed. You can use any color to make a chalkboard, but ordinary white chalk will show up best on a darker surface, so you may want to choose a dark color. For this tutorial we chose Rocky Mountain.

Step 2) Paint your surface

Now that your paint is ready, give your project three coats of paint. Although our paint has excellent coverage and will often look great with just one or two coats, we recommend three for chalkboards since they’re going to be wiped down quite often. If you’re unsure of how to prepare your surface before painting, click here to see our surface prep tutorial, and if you’d like to see some tips on how to achieve a smooth finish, watch this video.

Give your last coat of paint at least 1-2 hours to dry before moving on to the next step.

Step 3) Season your chalkboard

Seasoning may sound complicated, but it’s really just a fancy word for drawing all over your chalkboard, then wiping it off. This process helps to reduce any “shadows” that chalk can leave behind after being wiped down so you’ll always have a nice clean slate to work with.

Lay a piece of chalk flat on your chalkboard and begin rubbing it all over your surface. Make sure you draw both horizontal and vertical lines so that every inch is covered. As soon as the whole piece is covered, use a damp cloth to wipe it clean. Now your chalkboard is ready to use!

Here’s how our DIY chalkboard menu project turned out. Isn’t it fun? The possibilities are endless, so go get creative!

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We would love to hear what projects you’re working on, so make sure to leave a comment or post a picture of your project to our Facebook page or Instagram (@countrychicpaint)!